There's something wrong with me

Chapter 242: Three-point Origin Severance Technique!

In the period that followed.

Winter passed, spring arrived, and then a new summer came.

When Zhang Feng and the Great Thief were searching in this forest, it was mostly the Great Thief huffing and puffing, putting in the effort.

Zhang Feng, however, seemed to be lost in thought.

'What is he thinking about every day? And... why has this old man aged so much? Is he... dying?'

It was late summer again on this day.

By a small stream.

The Great Thief was bathing in the water, easing the fatigue of the past period, while looking at Zhang Feng, who was staring blankly at the shore.

In his observation, Zhang Feng now looked as if he had aged many times over, falling into a state of 'senile dementia'.

He truly had a feeling that Zhang Feng was dying, in the true sense of being able to see Zhang Feng rapidly aging.

The age spots and wrinkles on his body and face were increasing.

Even his entire height had shortened by about five centimeters.

The Great Thief saw these scenes and couldn't quite describe how he felt.

To say he was sad, there was a little bit of that.

After all, they had known each other for so long, and they were friends after all.

But to say he was happy, that was actually more the case.

Because he was truly annoyed, always feeling that Zhang Feng was increasingly ordering him around, but he didn't dare not to do it.

And he now regretted it greatly, feeling that he should have tried to stab Zhang Feng back then.

If it had succeeded, then he could have continued his life on the run, beginning to evade the pursuit of another cultivator.

Instead of now evading pursuit while also being treated as a slave.

He couldn't stand it anymore.

But he didn't know.

Zhang Feng wasn't intentionally using him; rather, his own mind was mostly analyzing the specific calculations of the immortal and the integration of the Three-point Origin Severance Technique.

In this process of high-speed cultivation and rapid thought operation.

Zhang Feng certainly couldn't fully search for the Xuan Yun Sect, so he definitely had to let him supplement his search progress.

It was also a way to make him 'change for the better' indirectly.

Especially since he also had a big problem, which was that his all-out efforts to decipher were rapidly compressing his lifespan.

However, exchanging lifespan for rapid improvement in cultivation was not a problem at all.

Although some lifespan might be lost in the process.

But it was currently sufficient, with a full year countdown of his lifespan remaining.

If he accelerated his cultivation, it would be about seven months.

Currently, his physique was [359], improving rapidly in the 100% Soul Transformation and integrating system.

It was estimated that in another three months, he could reach the minimum physique for forging a Golden Core.

And also on this day.

Zhang Feng had more calculations regarding the high-dimensional descent of immortals.

He felt that when a 'true body' truly descended, it shouldn't be as simple as the 'six-dimensional and seven, eight, nine dimensions, etc.' in sci-fi movies, nor as ordinary as immortals in myths.

Because, currently, the Heavenly Dao talismans in 'Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Soul Transformation' were all a type of rule, a 'concept' in world settings.

At that time, he might seem to be at the lowest six dimensions, but in reality, he might be some kind of 'real existing conceptual entity'.

It wasn't like the mind (soul and spirit), which is mental influence on reality.

Instead, it directly descended into the world with its own body, influencing the entire world's physics and rule 'settings'.

As for how much it influenced, that depended on how many Heavenly Dao talismans he comprehended.

At that time, talismans would be the standard for further ascension, which was also the ultimate ultimate combat power.

Just like the karmic rules he had calculated.

So now, the rules only had two general directions: 'past' and 'future', along with various minor directions that were learned incidentally.

Just like within the general direction of Heavenly Dao karma, there were good and evil, and luck, and so on.

These were all learned incidentally.

But as soon as he thought of this.

Zhang Feng suddenly understood, feeling as if he was no longer 'cultivating immortal techniques', but rather 'cultivating settings?'

If he became omniscient and omnipotent, with nothing hidden from him in the world, and then descended as an immortal's true body, using his vast knowledge and personal rules to modify the corresponding parameters, it really seemed like he was changing the fundamental settings of the world.

Zhang Feng felt that he was cultivating settings, and he wasn't wrong.

It was just quite abstract.

But thinking about it, if a person were to become the Heavenly Dao, they could inherently change all settings; it seemed that cultivating immortality and cultivating settings were the same direction.

The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things.

Reversing it, no matter what myriad methods are used, tracing back to the origin, they all lead to the same Dao.

...

A month later.

Zhang Feng understood the matter of the immortal body and began to study this 'Dao gives birth to one'.

This is a Daoist problem that exists in reality, but it is also a major topic.

Because it also involves the concepts of Tai Chi and the Five Elements of Yin and Yang, as well as the I Ching's Eight Trigrams, Feng Shui, celestial phenomena, and so on.

This was not like before the extraordinary era, where one could casually find a video or a website online and get a divination by providing a birthdate.

If one were to truly delve into it, and then use mathematical modeling to construct a balanced whole, allowing all myriad numerical calculations to be unified within it, forming a visualized Dao.

This would involve extremely vast mathematical and physical calculations.

Zhang Feng personally couldn't figure it out, nor did he want to.

Currently, he only had a rough concept, which he then combined with the Virtual Small Building in reality, and finally calculated in reality.

This problem still needed to be solved by the technology of all humanity.

And now there was a雏形 (rudimentary form), which was virtual rules.

At that time, he would at most bring out the concept of 'Dao gives birth to one', then combine it with the karmic formula he comprehended a year ago, and finally achieve quantum supercomputing.

By then, it was estimated that I Ching numerology would be seen everywhere on the streets.

For example, when a person wanted to cross the road, a virtual projection would suddenly appear in the air beside them, giving them the probability of death when crossing the road, and when it would be best to set off.

Afterward, various future karmic connections would be listed.

Then, if everyone listened to these numerology and karmic arrangements, that would be another kind of Heavenly Dao.

Even if no one listened, as long as the virtual world calculated 'human real-time variables'.

Then it would be a form of 'machine Heavenly Dao'.

As long as one person listened to the machine Heavenly Dao's arrangements, and the machine Heavenly Dao also helped him, then that person would be the 'uncrowned king, child of luck'.

This was the basic prototype of the 'Heavenly Dao formula'.

Zhang Feng had basically grasped the general idea, knowing that no matter which world's Heavenly Dao formula, its essence was an infinitely powerful computing machine.

Or rather, if he had no strength, but his computing power was infinitely large and could cover the entire world, then he would be an 'actual Heavenly Dao formula' that couldn't affect others, but truly existed.

Therefore, Zhang Feng concluded from the concept of 'Dao gives birth to one' that the Heavenly Dao is a computational entity of the rules of all things in the world, a vague formula.

If it also had corresponding strength and could influence others, then it would be the 'personification of the Heavenly Dao'.

Zhang Feng also knew why 'intelligent AIs' in some sci-fi movies could easily overthrow humanity.

Because even if it didn't understand these rules and Daoist concepts, as long as it could see the whole world through cameras, control all networked technological items, and make corresponding simple arrangements.

Even the simplest control of one car to crash into another car.

Then it was already another form of 'God'.

Zhang Feng now felt that he needed a 'super intelligent AI' that could destroy the world.

Unfortunately, it had never succeeded in reality.

Otherwise, if this AI had appeared earlier.

He could also quickly see through the Dao itself, and then, with the assistance of this AI and the general policy of the Planning Department, achieve faster and more optimized comprehensive technological improvement, as well as better knowledge and technical analysis.

Of course, if he had obtained it earlier, and it really wanted to destroy the world and kill him.

Or break through various permissions, control the Orbit Cannon, and give Earth a 'I'm so smart, I have so much emotion, yet I'm not human? Then no one should live!'

If it did that, then it would be better not to have it.

Because before the Nascent Soul stage, he really couldn't withstand an Orbit Cannon strike.

But at the perfected Nascent Soul stage, it wouldn't matter.

Furthermore, after Soul Transformation, the Void Refinement stage is about repairing the body.

Then there would be absolutely no fear.

To say something not boastful.

Let alone Soul Transformation and Void Refinement.

Zhang Feng felt that if he could return to the trial world at his peak perfected Nascent Soul stage, he would directly punch through the trial Dome and then see if that higher civilization had an AI.

If they didn't give him the texts, he would find a higher civilization, fight them, and seize them.

The Nascent Soul stage could already 'traverse the universe'.

From Zhang Feng's current perspective, that higher civilization, compared to his own Earth, should be a step higher in technology, a genuine interstellar overlord, beginning to amuse itself with 'normal technological civilizations'.

But in terms of its mixed system, it was much weaker than Earth.

If its defensive capability was the Dome technology, then it would be a matter of one shot.

But it was precisely when thinking of advanced civilizations.

Zhang Feng felt that with the arrangement of texts often 'compensating for knowledge'.

Level eight worlds should be able to see AI, or something similar.

Because the disaster level of seven is the entire planet, which is Golden Core.

Then level eight Nascent Soul, if it's a technological world, would belong to 'interstellar and high martial arts'.

...

In a blink of an eye, winter arrived again.

Zhang Feng's appearance was even older; he would have been hunched over like a turtle if he hadn't deliberately straightened his back.

But after these few months of deduction.

Zhang Feng's rule computing power was even better, and he had a deeper understanding of the rules of Heavenly Dao karma.

His physique currently seemed to be 386.

But Zhang Feng's Spiritual Sense had already reached seventeen li, only three li short of his former 2.1K physique at perfected Golden Core.

And also on this day.

In another forest.

As the Great Thief tiredly and numbly searched various places for traces of sects.

When Zhang Feng perceived that all systems were integrated, he also looked at his palm.

At this moment, visible white smoke clouds emerged, similar to ordinary white clouds.

But their 'energy level' was 3 times the original 'spiritual energy quality'!

And this multiplier would also change as his own spiritual energy increased.

For example, if his future 'spiritual energy quality' itself reached 3, then under the influence of the '3x multiplier', the total would become '9'.

Or to put it simply.

It directly multiplied the 'final combat power' of all previous final combat powers.

It gave a final 3x boost to the attacks he launched.

And this multiplier would further increase as more and more systems merged.

This system was not only a cultivation system; scientific knowledge could also enhance and optimize its structural power.

At the same time, with the operation of this white smoke cloud within the body.

Its effect of increasing physique and optimizing the body was also far superior to spiritual energy.

This was the Three-point Origin Severance Technique that Zhang Feng had pondered.

This cloud of smoke was precisely the 'Origin Qi' formed by the combination of all systems.

With Origin Qi added to his body.

Even though Zhang Feng was only at perfected Foundation Establishment now, he dared to clash with his former Golden Core self!

Although he would predictably lose in the end, due to insufficient energy storage compared to his Golden Core self.

But the quality was no longer an issue.

Origin Qi was the ultimate multiplier, this stacked combat power had already broken the fixed cultivation realm system.

The simplest way is, if you don't compare it to 'your original self', but to an outsider.

For example, the ordinary Golden Core cultivators in this world are similar to Golden Core cultivators in the Golden Core world.

Then they would be directly killed.

As for Nascent Soul, calculating based on a tenfold increase in combat power compared to Golden Core.

As long as he could discover them in advance, he should be able to successfully escape.

His current realm was only perfected Foundation Establishment, at most 5.5 times that of a normal Golden Core.

Compared to Nascent Soul, he was definitely too weak.

But the condensation of the Three-point Origin Severance Technique today also caused his physique to further erupt.

A complete three times spiritual energy multiplier naturally meant at least three times the cultivation speed.

Coupled with its further optimization, it belonged to the explosive period when the meridians were just opened.

While the Great Thief was aimlessly searching for some sect.

In just two hours, Zhang Feng had already entered the Golden Core stage.

His physique also suddenly leaped from 390 to [739].

Moreover, his physique continued to improve.

His telomeres were also growing wildly.

However, under Zhang Feng’s microscopic view of the Incarnation stage, he did not choose to restore his appearance. Instead, he used computational power of rules to stop the Heavenly Dao rules of the Golden Core Talisman.

One reason was to see if he could modify the rules using his knowledge and abilities.

Now, he had succeeded, proving that some Heavenly Dao rules could be altered.

The second reason was that Zhang Feng had never been this old before, so he wanted to experience it more.

Now that his strength had increased, he would go directly to the large city to find information.

…

Five days later.

Zhang Feng and Great Thief arrived at the main city of this region, which was a provincial capital within a province of the Ling Dynasty.

At a glance.

The majestic main city was comparable to the Royal City of the Golden Core world.

Of course, this was also due to the immense size of the Ling Dynasty.

An area of ten thousand li was equivalent to 15% of Earth’s surface, or approximately nine times the total area of Great Xia.

With such a vast territory, there was certainly ample space to build extensively.

After all, while most cultivators lived in seclusion in the mountains, there were many martial artists.

For those who could cover hundreds of meters in a single step, if the area was too small, it would be difficult for them to display their skills, and might even cause them to feel a certain disdain.

Zhang Feng once had this feeling too.

It was like when he reached the peak of Nascent Soul in reality, his combat power was invincible, and his speed reached nearly one hundred Mach.

At that time, his mindset was that Earth was just a simple street to him, with nothing much to explore.

Similarly, in the mind of a normal person.

It was like suddenly one day a king declared himself the ‘Lord of the Planet’ and then pulled himself onto a street, saying this was his planetary kingdom.

That awkward and laughable feeling was similar to how martial artists viewed the size of a city now.

If the main city was not large, martial artists would subconsciously look down on it.

Even now.

As Zhang Feng walked towards the main city, he could still see many artisans extending the city’s boundaries, and the old city walls would not be demolished.

This ‘city within a city within a city’ structure was a characteristic feature of cities in this world.

Of course, there were also some defensive and restrictive factors involved.

When a martial artist committed a crime, it was impossible for him to run out of the city in one go; he had to pass through many checkpoints.

In Zhang Feng’s opinion, it was quite abstract, but it also conformed to some changing factors of this world.

He wouldn’t comment on this, just as current three-dimensional traffic views past two-dimensional traffic jams; it’s impossible to explain.

Because the fundamental point is current demand, not idealized demand.

Zhang Feng didn’t care about this, but he also felt that this ‘city within a city within a city’ structure looked quite ‘blocky and profoundly majestic’.

When he transforms a planet someday, he’ll make one just like it.

In addition to observing the city’s operations.

Zhang Feng’s Spiritual Sense also swept across the streets, like a scanner, searching for information about Xuan Yun Sect, and also examining the fortunes of these people.

A quick glance.

There weren't many worth looking at.

But after walking with Great Thief for a while.

Zhang Feng suddenly noticed that on a street five li away, over a hundred soldiers on tall horses, led by a general, were heading straight towards him.

Based on the murderous aura of their fortunes, it was directed at him and Great Thief.

‘Great Thief has been discovered.’

Zhang Feng’s Spiritual Sense swept the vicinity, observing the passersby, and noticed several people deliberately or inadvertently watching Great Thief.

“Shopkeeper, how much?” Great Thief was still unaware, still buying steamed buns at a nearby shop.

Zhang Feng said nothing more, and expanded his view, seeing a restaurant five li away in the distance.

Inside sat four cultivators, whose gazes were also directed towards him.

However, they appeared to be of varying ages, and possessed an ethereal, immortal aura, yet their evil value was a few points higher than Great Thief’s.

The lowest was 4.7, the highest was 15.

Looking at the waist tokens in their possession, which seemed to be sect identities, the characters ‘Qingling’ were engraved on them.

These soldiers and these people had karmic ties, so they should have been sent by these four cultivators.

They truly sat firmly on the fishing platform, embodying the demeanor of high-ranking cultivators.

Zhang Feng pondered, and before the soldiers arrived, he looked at Great Thief, who had just bought his steamed buns and was walking over.

“A year ago, I wanted to ask you something. Before we left the small town, someone investigated us.

But they weren’t like these people today.”

Zhang Feng said, and as Great Thief looked at him in confusion, he asked again, “Do you know anyone from Qingling Sect?”

“Qingling Sect?!” Great Thief, hearing this, trembled with fright and quickly said, “Senior! The person I offended before was from Qingling Sect!

Could it be… could it be that you found their traces in this city?”

Great Thief spoke, looking as if he was ready to run at any moment.

And he also heard shouts and the sound of horses galloping from a distance, seeing groups of soldiers rushing towards them.

Zhang Feng saw this and shook his head, “Too late, they’re already here.”

“Too late…” Great Thief hadn’t said anything yet.

Whoosh—

Several experts from a distance had already leaped from their horses, then flew along the wide street’s shops, performing parkour for dozens of steps, forming a circle around Zhang Feng and the other person.

“Official business!”

The general, riding a tall horse, arrived within ten zhang of Zhang Feng and the other person.

Whoosh—

The soldiers also spurred their horses to scatter, trying to partially encircle the street, which was wide enough for twenty carriages to travel side-by-side.

At the same time, they did not obstruct the many civilians leaving the encirclement in the slightest.

However, after the civilians exited the encirclement, they all stopped to watch.

Including the nearby restaurants and tall buildings, many gazes peered out as well.

“Sun Kan!”

The general ignored these gazes, staring directly at the trembling Great Thief.

“Wu Shangren of Qingling Sect has ordered you to come with this general.”

Shangren is a respectful term for a Golden Core cultivator.

And this Wu Shangren was the Supreme Elder of Qingling Sect, a Golden Core Minor Completion cultivator, three hundred and seventy years old, and a well-known figure in the ‘cultivation world’.

Furthermore, in the common folk, many legends about him have been passed down, being circulated as popular tales of gods and ghosts.

It could even be said that this generation of common folk, and even several generations before them, grew up listening to the stories of Wu Shangren!

“It really is Qingling Sect…”

Especially after Great Thief heard the three words ‘Wu Shangren’, his head buzzed, and his legs grew even weaker, making him feel as unsteady as if he were drunk.

“An immortal is actually in the city…” The hundreds of onlookers, upon hearing that a Shangren was present, excitedly looked around.

They felt that if they could see a ‘half-immortal’ today, it would be a blessing cultivated over several lifetimes.

As for a true immortal like a ‘Nascent Soul True Person’, that was beyond their imagination.

And Zhang Feng, seeing Great Thief looking at him piteously, found it amusing.

Moreover, he indeed had questions to ask, and seeing that the four cultivators had high evil values.

Zhang Feng had no other thoughts and directly said to the general, who had a good virtue value, “General, please lead the way.”

As he spoke.

The general ignored Zhang Feng, instead looking at Great Thief with caution, preparing to have his men forcibly apprehend him.

This was also because Zhang Feng’s current height, compared to the tall humans of this world, was a bit short, only about 1.72 meters.

Furthermore, he looked even older, so these people really didn’t pay attention to the stooped, hunched, ‘short Zhang Feng’.

Their main concern was how to arrest Sun Great Thief.

Sun Great Thief’s physique was higher than all of theirs.

Moreover, the general held a precious ‘Spirit Suppressing Talisman’ in his hand, given to him by the four immortals, who said, ‘If you can’t catch him, use the talisman.’

But the general didn’t want to waste it, thinking it would be better to use it for catching demons in the city in the future.

After all, people from the cultivation world don’t meet them every day.

However, sometimes evil spirits would cause trouble in the city, harming the common people.

Such things were difficult to prevent, and even with the ‘city within a city’ design, it might not be able to prevent high-flying evil creatures.

And even if they were found, they might not be caught.

But with a precious talisman in hand, as long as the location of the evil creature could be found, it could be quickly subdued.

This general was very concerned about the talisman.

“Senior…” Great Thief became even more frightened as he saw the people gradually surrounding him.

Of course, he wasn’t afraid of these people, but rather of Wu Shangren, who was somewhere unknown.

At the same time, Zhang Feng saw the general remain silent, and for a moment, out of consideration for him being a good person, he chose not to act, merely raising his voice again:

“May I ask, General, where are the young friends from Qingling Sect?

This old man, Zhang Feng, wishes to inquire about some matters with them.

Please inform them and ask if they are willing to meet?

This old man will wait for them here.”

Zhang Feng felt that he had spoken very politely, as they had also invited him and Great Thief earlier.

However, while Zhang Feng thought he was being polite, to the surrounding common people and the general, Zhang Feng’s words were a great disrespect to the Shangren!

For a moment, before they could even utter a word.

Just as Zhang Feng finished speaking, four enraged Daoists flew from a distance, bringing with them intense gusts of wind.

Although they were still several li away, their angry voices echoed from afar.

“How dare you!”

“What old fool?! How dare you call this humble Daoist a young friend?!”

“Colluding with a thief! Not only do you not prove your innocence, but you also dare to speak so presumptuously? You truly infuriate me!”

Their voices reverberated, echoing for several li around.

“Immortals are here!”

“It’s Daoist Wu of Qingling Immortal Sect! Wu Shangren!”

Their voices also drew exclamations from the surrounding common people and soldiers, and they all simultaneously looked in the direction from which the voices came, eager to catch a glimpse of Wu Shangren’s ‘immortal countenance!’

But many also looked at Zhang Feng, knowing that this old man was probably in deep trouble.

“This old man’s life is going to be lost~”

“In my opinion, that old man thought Daoist Wu wasn’t present, so he dared to speak so wildly, thinking that General would be tied up and let the two of them leave?

Ridiculous, ridiculous!”

As everyone conversed, they all knew that Zhang Feng’s life was not long for this world.

At the same time, in the elegant private rooms of the nearby tall buildings, many refined scholars also sighed as they saw the immortals appear.

“Dare to disrespect ‘Wu Shangren’? Speaking nonsense, is this person perhaps mad?”

“Brother Jing’s words are very true.”

“Indeed, indeed~”

At this moment, everyone was watching, wanting to know how this old man would resolve the situation after such arrogant words.

And Zhang Feng, seeing the four rushing over, much like Great Thief that day, in the familiar gazes of everyone and Great Thief, pointed his finger at the four people in the sky,

“Kneel.”

Whoosh—

As the single word fell, in the next second, to everyone’s stunned amazement, the four enraged immortals, as if seized by some large hand, knelt directly before Zhang Feng.

And after everyone and the four cultivators had recovered from their daze.

These four cultivators truly lived up to their name; they were indeed seasoned seniors who frequently mingled in the cultivation world.

They quickly realized that they were no match for Zhang Feng, and so, like Great Thief before them, they immediately kowtowed and said:

“Senior, please spare our lives!”

“This junior was blind… I didn’t realize a Nascent Soul True Person was before me…”

“This junior knows his mistake… I hope senior will be magnanimous… and let this junior off…”

Before anyone around could react, the four of them, without any regard for their dignity, successively begged for mercy, and they were incredibly decisive.

But this scene also made everyone react, and then, under Great Thief’s shocked gaze, everyone successively bowed to Zhang Feng in awe, as if worshipping.

“True Person above, this humble commoner…”

“This humble general…”

“We greet True Person…”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, as a uniform chorus gradually formed, everyone on the entire street successively prostrated themselves.